Job 23

1 And Job answereth and saith: —

Then Job answered and said,

2 Also — to-day [is] my complaint bitter, My hand hath been heavy because of my sighing.

Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

3 O that I had known — and I find Him, I come in unto His seat,

O that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

4 I arrange before Him the cause, And my mouth fill [with] arguments.

I would set my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

5 I know the words He doth answer me, And understand what He saith to me.

I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me.

6 In the abundance of power doth He strive with me? No! surely He putteth [it] in me.

Would he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.

7 There the upright doth reason with Him, And I escape for ever from my judge.

There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

8 Lo, forward I go — and He is not, And backward — and I perceive him not.

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

9 [To] the left in His working — and I see not, He is covered [on] the right, and I behold not.

On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

10 For He hath known the way with me, He hath tried me — as gold I go forth.

But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

11 On His step hath my foot laid hold, His way I have kept, and turn not aside,

My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

12 The command of His lips, and I depart not. Above my allotted portion I have laid up The sayings of His mouth.

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

13 And He [is] in one [mind], And who doth turn Him back? And His soul hath desired — and He doth [it].

But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

14 For He doth complete my portion, And many such things [are] with Him.

For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

15 Therefore, from His presence I am troubled, I consider, and am afraid of Him.

Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.

16 And God hath made my heart soft, And the Mighty hath troubled me.

For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:

17 For I have not been cut off before darkness, And before me He covered thick darkness.

Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.